Obedience: Open (CDX)

Open is also divided into two parts – Open A is for dogs who have not earned the Companion Dog Excellent, or “CDX” title but have earned the CD title; Open B, for dogs with the CD/ CDX/Handlers with an OTCh title and often has dogs trying to achieve legs or points towards the UDX or OTCH titles. The Open title (CDX) is much more difficult to earn than the Novice title. There are 7 exercises in Open. In Open A they are always done in the order listed below; in Open B the order can be changed.

Heel Free and Figure Eight – 40 points – Similar to the on-lead Novice exercise, this challenge is done entirely off lead

Drop on Recall – 30 points – Starting like the Novice Recall, this exercise ups the ante considerably because as the dog is coming to the handler, at the judge’s signal, the handler gives a command for the dog to drop into a down immediately. Then, at the judge’s direction, the dog is called to front.

Retrieve on Flat – 20 points – This exercise usually starts where the drop on recall was finished. On the judge’s command, the handler will tell their dog to wait and then will toss the dumbbell straight out from then. It must go halfway across the ring. On then handler’s command the dog goes out, picks up the dumbbell, and retrieves it to the handler by sitting in front. The handler will take the dumbbell on the judge’s command and then finish their dog to heel when directed by the judge.

Retrieve over High Jump – 30 points – Like the Retrieve on Flat, the handler tosses a dumbbell, but this time it is over the high jump. The dog must go out over the high jump, retrieve the dumbbell, and jump back over the jump and sit in front of the handler. The exercise finishes like the retrieve on the flat.

Broad Jump – 20 points – this exercise requires the handler to leave the dog and stand perpendicular to the dog’s path next to a broad jump. The dog jumps the broad jump and turns and performs a front and subsequent finish to complete the exercise.

Long Sit – 30 points – The group exercises require all handlers to put their dogs in a sit and leave the ring and go out of sight. For the long sit, the dog is left for a total of 3 minutes and must remain sitting the entire time.

Long Down – 30 points – Same as the sit, except the handlers leave their dog and goes out of sight for 5 minutes.

The Open title is represented by a “CDX” at the end of the dogs name (Companion Dog Excellent), and represents a dog who has achieved a qualifying score in Open A three different times. As noted about, a qualifying score is a minimum 170 achieved by earning at least half of the possible points in each exercise.